The Buzz

Comment from Buzz reader G.P.: “The owner of Mission Hospital is a church. At the county level, I have heard the church officials defend illegal immigration. Can anyone connect the dots for the hospital about why it can’t afford to pay its employees enough to pay rent? Hospitals in California are closing their doors because they cannot continue giving medical care to millions of illegal immigrants for free. Now, the Mission Hospital CEO wants Mission Viejo residents to subsidize his employees with affordable apartments. As a citizen who pays taxes, I do not agree that I owe his employees a place to live. The hospital is real conflicted on this one.”

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Blog founder Carl Shulthess circulated an email a while back: “I hope all the people who voted for this bunch in Washington are happy with THE CHANGES. Did you know that if you sell your house after 2012 you will pay a 3.8 percent sales tax on it? That's $3,800 on a $100,000 home, etc. When did this change happen? It's in the healthcare bill, which will go into effect in 2013. So, is this the change you can believe in? The bulk of these new taxes don't kick in until 2013 (presumably after Obama's re-election). This legislation will nail the retiring generation who often downsize their homes. Is this Hope and Change great or what? Does this stuff make your vote more important?”

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Mission Viejo residents may have noticed the city has two wind speeds, 0 mph or 60 mph, depending on whether or not the Santa Ana winds are blowing. Have residents ever seen anyone flying a kite in Mission Viejo? Maybe city officials noticed the severe kite-flying deficit and decided something must be done. On April 2, the city will offer “synchronized kites to music” and flying contests.

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As predicted by this blog, City Hall’s zest for homebuilding resumed shortly after the November city election. Homeowners along east Los Alisos Blvd. received notice UDR Pacific wants to build an apartment compound on the former Kmart property. Residents at the south end of Mission Viejo learned about a potential affordable housing project in the area near the animal shelter.

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Two condo projects have been approved by the council majority, but the current housing market doesn’t warrant condo-building. From this blog’s January 15 edition, here’s the list of potential apartment sites: the former Kmart property on east Los Alisos Blvd., a parcel near the former Kmart property on Los Alisos Blvd., the shopping center at La Paz and Marguerite (Big Lots, CVS, etc.), Casta del Sol Golf Course , undeveloped land near the animal shelter, the parcel adjacent to Target on Los Alisos Blvd., closed elementary schools (O’Neill and La Tierra), the Unisys Property on Jeronimo Road near Los Alisos Blvd., and Viejo Elementary School (CUSD has discussed closing this school).

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Following publication of the above list, blog readers responded that other properties could be rezoned for high-density housing, including city parks and small shopping centers. In 2004, a housing developer attempted to buy the shopping center on the southeast corner of Jeronimo and Los Alisos for a housing project. One reader asked about the Target store near the freeway. Could it become a potential housing site if the two Target stores 1.5 miles apart aren’t performing well enough to keep both of them open?

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The “lights are going on” for some residents who were confused about Measure D, particularly those who live near potential high-density housing sites. The measure on last June’s ballot would have given residents the option of overturning a council decision to rezone property. More than $100,000 in special-interest money was funneled into a campaign to bamboozle Mission Viejo residents to vote against Measure D.

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A Mission Viejo Tea Partier reported that the city conducted an opinion poll last week. Other residents have confirmed they also received phone calls. The city’s polls generally have come at a time when City Hall wants to promote incumbent council members and/or do something unpopular. It creates a phony push-poll and then claims high levels of support, approval or overall satisfaction among residents. Some of the questions in the poll tend to shed light that the city’s financial status isn’t rosy. Read a detailed article at http://missionviejodispatch.com/letters-to-editor/letter-manipulated-city-survey

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City Treasurer Irwin Bornstein is retiring. A resident who is well-acquainted with city business suggests the departure is timely, while the house of cards is still standing. Best wishes to Mr. Bornstein, who has always been a diplomat and stayed above the political fray.